July 20: Anniversary of the Officers' Plot.
Today is the 60th anniversary of the attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler by a group of German officers. A small bomb, hidden in a briefcase, was placed in the main conference room at Hitler's Rastenburg command base. The bomb was placed by Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg. Staffenberg and his fellow plotters had decided to reclaim the honour of the German officer corps by destroying the political leader and entity who had besmirched that honour. Arguably a bit late, and not terribly well carried through. But an attempt worthy of honouring. The fundamental lesson there is that power alone is not legitimacy.